Reintegration of coal ash disposal sites and mitigation of pollution in the West Balkan Area

Large areas of the West Balkan region have been exposed to coal ash deposits for several decades. Due to high concentrations of heavy metals and salt polluted effluxes from such ash deposits as well as dust dispersion by wind erosion contaminate surface and ground water sources, standing and running waters as well as agro-ecosystems even beyond the affected areas. As a consequence heavy metal entering both the food chain and the respiratory tracts of people by dust emission severely affect public health. The aim of this project is to develop and test new and innovative methods for remediation of coal ash deposits and affected water resource. Conventional and new plant-based technologies will be considered for their potential to purify polluted water bodies and to eliminated toxic effluents from contaminated ash deposits. Immobilisation of heavy metals using various site adapted amendments in line with soil covering technologies and re-vegetation will be applied to reduce the transfer of toxic metals to ground water, open water bodies and air. Crops with low metal uptake preference as well as remediative (inter)cropping systems will be implemented to warrant food quality standards and the sustainable remediation of contaminated sites. Quality standards for reintegration of such sites into agricultural management and tools for the sustainability assessment of remediation measures will be developed. The technologies to be used in this project will be tested under laboratory conditions and at field scale. Up-to-date monitoring techniques will be applied to evaluate the effectiveness, sustainability and cost-efficiency of the methods. Special emphasis will be put on socio-economic aspects concerning public acceptance, stakeholders support, public health and success of remediation measures. Local people, particularly stakeholders of the agricultural sector and official authorities will be involved throughout the whole project period. The results will be used to develop and compile decision tools, which will then be published in a handbook and provided to local authorities, stakeholders and problem owners for further decision support.